This invention relates to hand operated pumps in general and more particularly to trigger attachments for converting a finger actuated spray pump dispenser to a trigger pump.
Particularly, in view of concern over fluorocarbons in the atmosphere, there have been developed a number of finger actuated pumps which permit dispensing of various liquid and viscous materials either in a spray or stream. Typical of such pumps are the pumps disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,145 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,560. The types of pumps disclosed in these two patents are generally to be operated by pushing down on an actuator, having a spray tip and mounted on an axially outwardly projecting stem, with the finger, i.e., they are operated by an axial inward finger motion. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,560, a trigger pump is shown. However, it is designed from the start as a trigger pump. Many other types of trigger pumps have also been designed and are of varying degrees of complexity.
The axial finger operated pump has been developed and refined and is a very workable device. However, in cases where repeated sprayings are required, or in cases where a viscous material is to be dispensed, operating it can become tiresome. For this purpose a trigger pump is desirable.
Since, the axially actuated finger pump has proven itself, the desirability to convert it for trigger operation is clear. Such has been previously attempted. One example is the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,855. a lever is pivoted and has a portion which contacts the top of the actuator normally pressed by the finger. This is not truly what one would call a trigger pump, however, since one pushes on the lever rather than pulls as one does with a trigger. Furthermore, it suffers from the disadvantage that the actuator moves axially during dispensing, making aiming more difficult.
It is, thus, an object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for converting a pump normally operated by axial finger motion into a trigger pump.